Exception (Cambria University Series Book 1)

by Sadie T. Williams

  I walk downstairs to the dance floor to find Kiernan just now approaching her besties. They all start to scream as if she just told them she’s getting married. Watts, Duncan, and Blaire begin grinding on her in a circle and she starts to seductively shake her ass in the middle. I need to pick up my jaw and my dick and get to the front door.

  I check my phone – 12:30 a.m. I wonder how long I will get with her.

  Chapter 6: Kiernan

  “Ready?” he asks as I get to the front door. I nod.

  I feel a bunch of eyes drilling into the back of my head as I walk out of the Pi Kappa house with Brooks. They’re probably assuming he’s taking me home as his latest conquest. They don’t know that we're not leaving together in that way, that he’s just driving me home. My roommates, who screamed like little girls on Christmas when I told them that Brooks offered to drive me home, seem to think otherwise though. They think every guy is into me, but Brooks hasn’t hit on me once in the time we’ve spent together. In fact, I thought he was going to fuck Carli right in front of me.

  His truck is parked on the lawn. He opens the passenger side door for me and I climb in. Brooks hops into the driver’s side. He has a really nice truck. It’s blacked out and appears to be very new.

  “Where to?” he asks.

  “I live on campus. In the Franklin Apartments near Montgomery House.”

  “Right. I know that,” he says calmly. “But where should we go?” he asks with a smile.

  My heart begins to race at his words. He wants to take me home. I want to spend more time with him, but I am not ready to be had… yet. “Uh, well, I am not having sex with you,” I reply in almost a squeak.

  A loud, deep laugh bursts from Brooks’ mouth. I have never heard him laugh like that. He is genuinely amused by my response.

  “What?” I snap at him.

  “I’m not expecting you to have sex with me. We barely know each other, and I’m not a man-whore like Rhodes. Promise.” He laughs again.

  Shoot me. I can feel my face flush. Of course he doesn’t want to have sex with me. I have zero, and I mean absolutely zero experience. I have been hanging onto my V-card for so long I think it might just expire. If he wanted to have a night of wild sex, he could have left with Carli. I’m sure she knows her way around a penis. He’s just another guy who thinks I’m fun to hang out with. Fucking perfect.

  “Okay, sure. I’m not that tired yet. What are you thinking?” I pretend not to be annoyed with how this night has turned. I want him to want me, damn it. I drop my head backwards and rest it against the seat.

  “Movie at my place? Blake and Rhodes are still partying hard and Bateman will be at your place. It will be quiet,” he offers.

  “In your room or the living room?” I have great self-restraint, and the two guys who have tried to kiss me since I got to college were shot down on the spot. I don’t think I can restrain myself around Brooks.

  He laughs again. “Your choice, but we have a living room if you’re more comfortable with that. I think we even have popcorn. Just stay away from the chair-looking section of the couch. Rhodes uses that little gem as his personal fuck pillow sometimes.”

  I nod. I never, ever leave a party with a guy, and I sure as hell don’t go back to their place. This is so unlike me. I have to lift in the morning. We have our first fall season game on Tuesday. We’re hosting the University of North Carolina. It won’t count toward our record in the spring, but the country will be watching this fall to see if we’re still legit after our All-American pitcher graduated.

  We pull up to a really nice townhouse. Whoa. Blaire told me that Blake’s dad bought the boys a townhouse. He must be loaded if he bought them this for just two years. Blaire said for a house full of football players, the place is pretty clean, but smells like cheap sex.

  She’s wrong. It actually smells like cologne and soap, although I don’t really know what cheap sex smells like. The layout is spacious. I can see the sectional Brooks mentioned from the entryway and I make a mental note to avoid the section jutting out towards the TV. God knows what bodily fluids are soaked in there.

  Brooks nudges me with his shoulder and smiles at me as an invite to enter. I slip off my flip-flops and walk onto the tile floor of the kitchen. Heated floors. Nice touch.

  “So, what should we watch?” he asks.

  “I’m good with anything except horror movies.”

  “Aww, is the whittle baby scared of the dark?” he says as he doubles over in laughter.

  “I will have you know I had a traumatic experience as a child and since then I have not been able to watch horror films. Truth, I am scared and I do have nightmares, you jackass,” I say, half joking.

  “Oh shit, really? I’m sorry, babe. I had no clue. What happened?”

  I don’t know if I should tell him, because it’s a bit childish. My roommates give me so much shit about it. They were watching IT one night and I hid in my bedroom with my headphones on so I couldn’t even hear the movie. It’s not like the story is a secret, so I decide to tell him.

  “Well, when I was young my mom forced me to watch horror movies with her. She’s a Halloween junkie,” I begin and Brooks looks intrigued. “So anyway, one Halloween night when I was six we were watching Halloween. You know, the one with Michael Myers. He runs around in that white mask murdering people.” Brooks nods. “Well, we were sitting in our living room with the credits rolling when one of my dad’s teamma- er, friends, barged through our door dressed in full-on Michael Myers gear. Blue jumpsuit, mask, knife. The works. I was so terrified. I can’t remember anything after that because blacked out. It was the scariest moment of my life, and ever since then I think I have fucking PTSD when it comes to horror flicks. And it's the reason I hate Halloween. The holiday and the movie.”

  And it happens. He starts laughing so hard tears form in his eyes. What the shit, man? I don’t know what to say, so I stare at him with angry eyes. He finally notices and tries to curb his laughter.

  “I’m sorry. I really am. But that is the best story I’ve heard,” he says as he gasps for air from laughing so hard. Then he pulls me in for a hug. I am caught so off guard that my arms stay at my sides and he just wraps his long, muscular arms right over the top and pulls me to his chest. Awkward.

  My body freezes, but after a second I rest my head on his chest. I can feel his rock-hard pecs through his shirt. The sound of his heart beating calms me, and I don’t ever want to move. He smells like his cologne and soap. I try to inhale his scent without making it obvious. In a more sincere tone he offers, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to laugh so hard. I’m sure as a child that would have been horrific.” He squeezes me tighter.

  “I forgive you,” I say and stare up at him through my lashes.

  “How about a sports movie?” he suggests with a smile.

  “You’ve got my attention now.”

  “Miracle?”

  “Only happens to be one of my all-time favorite sports movies. I grew up in New England. Hockey is life. My folks are still there. Herb Brooks is a legend. Hey, you weren’t named after him were you?”

  He chuckles. “Sadly, no. My mom’s dad was Brooks Winthrop. Ergo, you’re looking at Brooks Winthrop McCarthy,” he answers with a bow. “My brothers are named after football greats. Brett Favre and Bo Jackson. I got Papa Winthrop. I fucking wish I was named after Herb though. I grew up in Minnesota. That man is a fucking hero!”

  Brooks finally releases me from our hug and we head toward the couch. I sit and he wanders off the kitchen to make popcorn. I check my phone. 12:48 a.m. I’m not sure how long I’ll last. There are dozens of messages from Watts and Duncan. Most of them contain the eggplant emoji. I don’t bother to reply. Finn and Stoner texted because the baseball team is going to grab Taco Bell after the party. I ignore those too, but TB sounds fucking excellent right now. I’m hungry.

  Brooks returns while the microwave is hard at work making our popcorn and sits down next to me on the couch. “I didn’t realiz
e you had brothers,” I say. “I thought your parents would have stopped after they got it right.”

  “Oh they did, sweetheart. I’m the baby. Bo is the oldest, then Brett, and then the final and perfect child, me.”

  “Well that makes sense then,” I reply with a smile. “What do your brothers do?” I’m genuinely interested in his family. I want to know more about him, and one way to do that is to learn more about his family. I grew up watching Rhett “The Threat” McCarthy. He was drafted the same year as my dad.

  “Brett is in residency to be an oncologist at Johns Hopkins. Bo is working on Wall Street. Making money and doing whatever it is he does in his free time.”

  “And then there was you.”

  “Yup. I was their end game.”

  “You sure are confident. I’m only ever that confident when I am on the field.”

  “Why waste your time worrying about what people think? If they like me or not doesn’t change how I feel about myself. If others don’t approve of what I’m doing, who cares, as long as I’m happy, ya know? If that makes me egotistical or narcissistic, then whatever.”

  “It isn’t just as easy as making yourself happy though, right? Not when so many eyes are on you all the time. Other people’s lives and feelings get in the way.” The constant eyes judging and watching become overwhelming. Being the daughter of a superstar is exhausting, especially when your father chases the spotlight.

  He continues, “You wore fucking sweatpants to a frat party. That takes some balls considering most girls there are wearing less material on their whole body than you have on one leg. You obviously don’t give a shit what people think. It’s a major turn-on.”

  Holy shit. I turn him on? I don’t think he means in a sexual way, but nonetheless those words light my insides ablaze.

  “I just hate being the center of attention. Girls who dress like that do it for attention. My roommates included. They’ll openly admit it. I’m just not comfortable with it.”

  “Well, that’s a first. Not many people surprise me,” he says as he turns on the couch so we’re sitting face to face. He puts his hand to my chin and lifts it up so we lock eyes. “You’re stunning. I’m guessing there isn’t a moment in your life when you aren’t the center of attention, Kiernan.”

  “Let’s just watch the movie before I fall asleep,” I say in almost a whisper and turn away from him. I don’t know how to take a compliment. Especially from him. My body is on fire from his touch. My skin is crawling with goosebumps. I feel weak and my body has this feeling of longing. I want his lips on mine. I want to feel them. This is such a new feeling that I don’t know what to do, so I pull away. Well played, dipshit.

  He grabs the popcorn and sits back down next to me with a big bowl of it. It smells yummy and my tummy grumbles. He starts the movie and I dig into the bowl. He laughs at me again.

  “What now?” I say with some sass in my voice. He finds me amusing and I’m still pissed at myself for pulling away from what could have been our first kiss.

  “You’re just so different. You may be the first girl who has ever actually eaten anything at our place. Most pretend not to be hungry. I don’t get why girls do that.”

  “Me either. I’m always hungry. You’re in for a lot of surprises with me. I’m definitely not like most girls.”

  “Oh, I’m counting on that,” he says as he scoots closer to me on the couch. He puts his arm around my shoulders and I lean into his side. My cheeks flush and I can feel goosebumps on my skin again. He barely touches me and my body responds to him. This may be the one boy who breaks down my barriers, but hopefully not my heart.

  Chapter 6: Brooks

  I am well aware that every dude in the house is staring at me as I leave with Kiernan. Fuck you, boys. We always park in the grass so we don’t have to walk too far to the house. I open Kiernan’s door and walk around the front of the truck and climb into the driver’s side.

  “Where to?” I ask. Please don’t say home.

  “I live on campus. In the Franklin Apartments near Montgomery House,” she replies.

  “Right. I know that. But where should we go?” I ask again hoping she will rescind her previous answer. I flash her a smile and try to hide my nerves.

  She takes a long pause and looks at me as though she’s nervous. “Uh, well, I am not having sex with you.” She squeaks.

  I let out a loud, deep laugh. I didn’t think sex was even on the table, but apparently that’s what she thought I expected. Not shocking with my reputation I guess.

  “What?” she snaps.

  “I’m not expecting you to have sex with me. We barely know each other, and I’m not a man-whore like Rhodes. Promise.” I hold up two fingers like a Boy Scoot.

  Her face flushes. She’s embarrassed now. Good, I do have some effect on her.

  I suggest a movie back at our place – I’d like to get her alone. Not for the reasons she assumes, but I wouldn’t turn her down if it came to that. Damn, she’s beautiful.

  When she nervously asks where we would be watching the movie, I can’t help but laugh again. She’s so innocent. She’s very inexperienced and unsure of herself, which is so different from the sassy girl who was just whooping some beer pong ass just a few minutes ago.

  We get back to our house, and she pauses as we enter, taking it all in. She’s adorable. I nudge her with my shoulder and smile to prompt her to enter. I don’t want her changing her mind and making a run for it.

  I don’t know much about this chick. I don’t know what kind of movies she’s into. Again, I can’t stop myself from laughing when she tells me she has an irrational fear of horror movies from a crazy childhood event.

  “I’m sorry. I really am. But that is the best story I’ve heard,” I gasp for air from laughing so hard. She looks pissed so I do the only thing that comes to mind. I wrap my arms around her and pull her to my chest for a hug. I can feel her body tense under my touch. She’s so small that my arms wrap completely around her. I wish her arms weren’t pinned to her sides. I’d love to feel them wrapped around me.

  After a second I feel her relax in my grasp and she rests her head against my chest. I can smell the vanilla in her hair, and I close my eyes to remember this feeling. After another second I offer her an apology for laughing and squeeze her just a little tighter.

  “I forgive you,” she responds and looks up at through her long, black lashes. I’m immediately aroused by her gaze. If I knew I wouldn’t freak her out, I would kiss her right now. Her lips are pink and her cheeks are flushed. I know her body is responding to me, and Little Mac is sure as hell responding to her. A girl has never made me hard before with just her eyes.

  I suggest Miracle, which is about the 1980 Olympic hockey team. If I watch anything remotely sexual, I’m going to lose it. Kiernan loves the idea, of course.

  “Only happens to be one of my all-time favorite sports movies. I grew up in New England. Hockey is life. My folks are still there. Herb Brooks is a legend. Hey, you weren’t named after him were you?” she says with an excited tone in her voice.

  “Sadly, no.” I chuckle in reply as I explain to her how I got the short end of the stick when it comes to names in my family. I love that she’s showing an interest in me beyond my dick or my superstar status.

  I reluctantly let go of her so I can make us some popcorn. When I return to the living room, I sit down right beside her on the couch.

  “I didn’t realize you had brothers,” she states. “I thought your parents would have stopped after they got it right.” She laughs at herself and elbows me, which is completely adorable. I love that she wants to hear more about my brothers. I know she’s asking seriously, even though she threw a dig at me. I like her. Rule #1, asshole, Rule #1!

  We talk about my family a little more, and I’m really enjoying her company. Talking girls is never this relaxing and effortless. She asks me a few more questions about my brothers, taking an interest in me and my family. She wants to get to know me. She isn’t conce
rned that my dad is Rhett McCarthy, and with her knowledge of football I know she knows who he is. She isn’t concerned that I’m going pro or that I’ll be making millions in the next few years. She’s so different. It’s invigorating.

  After a minute, she drops a bomb on me. She isn’t as confident as she projects. I don’t understand how that is possible, but the honesty of her words hit me hard. I turn to face her and cup her chin in my hand. Her skin is like silk. “Well, that’s a first. Not many people surprise me,” I say. I need her to know how everyone else sees her, even though she doesn’t see it herself. “You’re stunning. I’m guessing there isn’t a moment in your life when you aren’t the center of attention, Kiernan.”

  She shifts uncomfortably and responds, “Let’s just watch the movie before I fall asleep.” Unbelievable. She can’t accept a compliment.

  Without being prompted she reaches over and grabs a huge handful of popcorn and starts popping it into her mouth, piece by piece. Her enjoyment at eating makes me laugh again. She really is different.

  “What now?” she says and feigns an annoyed look.

  “You’re just so different. You may be the first girl who has ever actually eaten anything at our place. Most pretend not to be hungry. I don’t get why girls do that.”

  “Me either. I’m always hungry. You’re in for a lot of surprises with me. I’m definitely not like most girls.”

  “Oh, I’m counting on that,” I reply with a smile. I can’t wait to see what else this girl has in store for me. I want to get to know her. Everything about her. Things no one else knows. The idea is exciting.

  She glances at me out of the side of her eye, smiles a crooked little smile that is a bit devilish, and bats her long eyelashes. Little Mac comes to life and I can feel him twitch under my zipper. I scoot as close as I can without freaking her out. We settle in to watch the movie without further words. No awkward silence. Just comfort in our cuddling. She fits perfectly tucked under my arm, and I never want to move.